The United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) Library was founded in 1919 as the Library of the League of Nations and became the UN Library at Geneva when the League’s assets were transferred to the United Nations in 1946.

The UNOG Library serves as a central Library for:

the United Nations Office at Geneva

the specialized agencies and other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations headquartered in Geneva

the Permanent Missions in Geneva

qualified external students and researchers

The UNOG Library functions as a:

Knowledge provider - The Library provides a solid foundation for in-depth and comprehensive research in all areas of the United Nations' work through its rich and up-to-date collections, archival funds, and training programme.

Memory keeper - The Library ensures that the institutional memory of the Organization remains accessible to future generations.

Dialogue facilitator - The Library works for a better understanding between people of different origins and opinions.

The Library continues today to keep alive the vision of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who in 1927, made an important donation to endow the League of Nations with a modern library suitable for the study of international relations, "to serve as a centre of international research and an instrument of international understanding."

UN System Libraries network

The UNOG Library is part of a strong network of United Nations and UN system libraries that share expertise, best practices and resources. These libraries have become important actors in the Organization’s information strategy. The UN Libraries are gateways to knowledge, thought and culture, facilitating the decision-making process within the Organization.

UN Depository Libraries

Since 1946, the Dag Hammarskjöld Library of the United Nations Secretariat in New York has arranged for the distribution of United Nations documents and publications to users around the world through its depository library system. At present, there are more than 367 United Nations Depository Libraries in over 136 countries. The general public can consult the material free of charge at any of these depository libraries.